| Class
of '78, University of Pennsylvania
Description: "Class of '78,
University of Pennsylvania" [on the steps of College Hall]
Pencilled
inscription: "From R. Bowden Shepherd" Note: There is a large
wooden razor near the upper left corner of this photograph. This razor was presented
to Harry "Hairy" McDowell of the Class of 1878 in honor of his remaining
unshaven during all four years of his undergraduate career. The presentation of
this award included a rather lengthy oration on McDowell's strange behavior by
William P. Breed, Jr. of the Class of 1878. This speech is recorded in full within
the Record (yearbook) of 1878. Here, Breed tells a spurious third
hand story about the source of McDowell's shaving taboo with McDowell speaking
to a Mr. Clark: "'It was one night, ' said he, 'during
our Freshman year. My voluntary hours at Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Mathematics, Physics,
Sanskrit, Saxon, Arabic, Hindoostanic, Choctaw, and Cherokee had detained me until
eleven post meridian, and, having still a little life in me, I determined to amuse
myself during the rest of the night in working problems in Chauvenet. But, being
at length exhausted, I fell asleep, and beheld a vision. A man of noble proportions
and familiar visage stood before me flourishing a "nopen norgan" pipe
in one hand, and a diploma in the other, and demanding as I loved him I should
not touch razor to my face until the square of the cosine of the angle, formed
by the two hairs immediately under my left ear, should be to that upon my chin
inversely as the radii vectores of Mercury and Venus.' " Photographer: Suddards & Pennemore,
photographers, 820 Arch St., Philadelphia Date: 1878 Medium:
Matted photograph
Photo: 9.5 x 12.5 inches
Mat: 11.5 x 14.5 inches Location:
University Archives, The University of Pennsylvania
Photograph
Collection, Groups and Events Series
Oversize Box Digital Reference:
20040219002 For use of digital images consult:
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